Restaurant India News: ABNAH Appoints Sukul Kundan as Format Director for Casual Dining Restaurants

Aditya Birla New Age Hospitality (ABNAH) has appointed Sukul Kundan as Format Director – Casual Dining Restaurants. He joined the organisation in September and will be responsible for leading and scaling the company’s casual dining restaurant (CDR) portfolio across India.

In his new role, Sukul will oversee the strategic growth of the casual dining segment, with a focus on operational consistency, format development, and guest experience as the brands expand into new markets. The appointment aligns with ABNAH’s broader plans to strengthen its presence in premium and mid-premium dining formats nationwide.

ABNAH’s portfolio includes established restaurant brands such as Hakkasan, Yauatcha, Nara Thai, CinCin, ODE, Waarsa, Supa San, and Bay 21. Sukul’s mandate will involve translating existing brand standards into scalable business models suitable for diverse regional markets.

Sukul Kundan said, “Stepping into this role is genuinely exciting. Our collective purpose here is what drew me in: to enrich lives through the power of food and the magic of shared experiences.” He added, “My core focus, under the inspiring vision of Aryaman Vikram Birla, is to completely lead and strategically scale our Casual Dining division.”

He also acknowledged the leadership team, stating, “A massive thank you to Udai Pinnali and the entire core team. Getting to work alongside such exceptional talent who share this passion is the best start I could ask for.”

With this appointment, ABNAH continues to strengthen its leadership bench as it accelerates growth in the casual dining segment, a category seeing steady demand from urban consumers seeking consistent dining experiences across formats and locations.